Silver Surfer Appreciation 2022

[Doombot]

It may be true that Cosmic Marvel is not really appealing to readers right now, as it is with many genres, but that being said, it really just needs a creative writer with determination to recapture the interest of audiences. Any story can be good with the proper writers.

I think a good Surfer book should do what old Marvel books like FF & Thor used to do: explore. New places, peoples, monsters, gods etc. The universe has to have more than the Kree, Skrulls, Thanos and Galactus.

[Cronus]

We all knew it took place during a fixed time, right? There was only so much they likely could do and not upset some other continuity.

Now, I'll counter argue myself: They could've been bold and placed something in the story that was new and thereby setting up something to then pull from for current stories.
As is the speculation going on with the Ben Reilly mini that just wrapped.

I'll say I liked it but it doesn't scream re-read me. I'll be Ebay posting it to try and recoup some of my money.

Well, the title "Rebirth"? I figured they would at least set up a new direction for the Surfer. Rebirth implies something big? At least I thought?

[Cronus]

It may be true that Cosmic Marvel is not really appealing to readers right now, as it is with many genres, but that being said, it really just needs a creative writer with determination to recapture the interest of audiences. Any story can be good with the proper writers.

Agreed. When Stracynski put his mark on Thor, he didn't do much new per se. But the stories revolved around how epic the character was designed to be. A similar trait exists with the Surfer I think.

[Doombot]

Does the Surfer really have a nemesis? Is Thanos & Mephisto the closest he's got?

[K7P5V]

Powers-wise...so, as the story goes, when the Surfer initially rebelled against against Galactus, he removed his "space-time" powers. Somehow, this (allegedly) removed his ability to travel "the galaxies", being confined to the vicinity of earth. Yet, in volume 3, issue 2, we see the Surfer de-materialize his board and pass through Galactus' barrier, re-materializing the board once outside the barrier. Additionally, if we go way back to issue 6, volume 1, the Surfer is in fact able to travel time, surpassing the speed of light.

An idea Ben Grimm brought forth, I might add...

Silver Surfer #1

[Doombot]

LOL "Not now, Ben!"

[Cronus]

Does the Surfer really have a nemesis? Is Thanos & Mephisto the closest he's got?

They have always been his primary villains. He really needs to add (not upgrade) his rogue's gallery. The Surfer is one of those good guys best defined by his villains. After multiple interactions with Evil and Evil-er...like I say, I think we all get that the Surfer is always going to do "the right thing". Maybe some villains could challenge him in more pedestrian ways. He doesn't have many magical villains? Marvel is woefully lacking in speedsters...why not a villain that is massively fast to challenge the Surfer? I'm just saying, the Surfer is ripe for some new villains.

[Cronus]

An idea Ben Grimm brought forth, I might add...

Right? I mean, notwithstanding Ben one-ups the smartest guy on earth, the Surfer could not have at least intuitively figured that one out? I mean, good grief, lol...

[xcoijoi]

I hear Thanos and Surfer, and immediately think 'Epic'.

Boy, was I wrong this time.

They could have at least made it a little more interesting with some cameos by Warlock.

[Cronus]

Norrin Radd of the planet Zenn-La.

After making his first appearance in Fantastic Four #48 in 1966 as a supporting character, Stan Lee is immediately drawn to this creation of Jack Kirby. Stan's imagination immediately ran and within two years of his first appearance, Stan gave the Surfer his own book in August 1968.




Stan used the Silver Surfer as his philosophical outlet, a proxy to draw attention to the terrible upheaval of the 60's in America (short video here.

Racism divided America. The US was fighting an unwinnable war. Lines were being drawn in the sand between conservative and liberal thinkers and these played out in dramatic ways with the death of leaders like Kennedy and King. And all this against the backdrop of a flourishing US economy.



As well, this book gives the origin of the mighty Silver Surfer.

[K7P5V]

^^^The artwork of John Buscema is truly legendary!

Although, I'm glad that Jack Kirby had a chance to work on his creation again.

[Cronus]

[center]^^^The artwork of John Buscema is truly legendary!

Although, I'm glad that Jack Kirby had a chance to work on his creation again.

I am such a klutz! I actually meant to draw attention to the legendary artwork of John Buscema. Indeed.

Once again, @K7P5V you saved my bacon!

Say, since we were talking about this some time back, can you think of a cool way to define and otherwise employ the Silver Surfer's space-time powers? As it was never clearly defined, I feel like some sharp writer could really dig into something like that.

Edit: I think Kirby's last work on the Surfer with Stan Lee was in 1978 on this graphic novel

[Darkshadow]

Like I've said before: explore the TWO times the surfer has lived through our iteration of the cosmos. Explore how, apparently, he created the first spark of life in this cosmos. Surfer can write himself if people just use what has been gifted them in mythology and vol 3 as a template.

[Darkshadow]

Are the Silver Surfer graphic novels worth buying? Not collecting, but buying. To read. He has several, and they aren't all that cheap.

[Darkshadow]

It may be true that Cosmic Marvel is not really appealing to readers right now, as it is with many genres, but that being said, it really just needs a creative writer with determination to recapture the interest of audiences. Any story can be good with the proper writers.

I think a good Surfer book should do what old Marvel books like FF & Thor used to do: explore. New places, peoples, monsters, gods etc. The universe has to have more than the Kree, Skrulls, Thanos and Galactus.

Absolutely! In vol 3s death throws, we saw SS traversing vast expanses to find a new side of our own universe that was strange and bizarre. I LOVED that because it showed how vast A universe is in an era where we are so eager to explore a multiverse.

If a universe is infinite, than you have infinite stories to tell within that universe.